St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-09-01

tive glances was peculiar; he saw he
was being watched he couldn't SIT
still he looked first at one bank then
at the other; his eyes travelled every
where, resting nowhere his hands
fidgeted and trembled; he seemed all
of culver. | expected him to break
into parOxysm every second. If
hadn't called out he would have run
us right into the shore when l called
he clutched the other string violently
Jerking the boat almost round.
heartily wished him at Jericho before
he had come near us.
No one spoke. We went slowly
along, watching each other. At last
he said something.
al will get out" he said, in al
odd, nervous way.
"With pleasure" said Alf; Sin &
minute"
"Why not nowP Why not now,
Sir 2" he said seeming to shake from
head to foot.
"Where are you going to get?- into
the river 7" L admired Alf's GOODNESS
l envied him. / only hoped he would
not let it carry him too far.
The man glowered at him for a
moment he looked him full in the face.
l never saw a look in a mans eyes like
that in his. Alf returned him look fol
look. Slightly, almost imperceptibly,
he quickened his stroke. A little low
er down was a little hamlet with a
well-knOwn inn and capital landing
stage. When we came alongside, the
stranger said, "This will do; I'll get
out here"
He turned the boat inshOre. Nc
sooner were we near enough than he
rose in his seat and sprang on to the
beach. There were several people
about, watermen and others. Alf was
after him in an instant he rose al
most simultaneously and leaped on
shore; he touched him on the shout
der.
"NOw come," he said, "dOn't be fool
ish we know all about it,"
The other turned on him like flash
of lightning. "What do yon mean ~
But Tom was too quick for him he
was on the other side and took his
arm. "Come," he said, "don't let's
have row."
The stranger raised himself to his
full height and shook off Tom with
ease. He then hit out right and left
in splendid style. Tom and Alf went
down like ninepins. But my blood
was up. l scrambled on shore and ran
into him, lodged his blows, and closed
l am pretty strong. He was old enough
to be my father; but l found l had
met my match, and more. | was like
a baby in his arms; he lifted me clean
off my feet and threw me straight into
the river. 1t was a splendid exhibit
ton of strength.
Tom and ALT, finding their feet,
made for him together, and scrambling
out as best l could, l followed suit
You never saw such set-Out. We
chung to him like leeches. The Ian
guage he used was awful, his strength
magnificent; though we were three to
one, he was match for all of us. Oh
course the by-standers, seeing a row,
came up; they interfered and pulled
us off.
.'Here's a pretty go!'' said one
"What's all this 7"
"Stop him lay hold of him !" said
Alf; she's lunatic." hn
GA what 2" said the man. ~.
"He's lunatic, escaped from DR..
Rawle's asylum"
Instead of lending a hand, the man
went off into a roar of laughter, and
the others Joined. The stranger look
ed literally frantic with rage. A gen
tleman stepped out from the crowd.
"There's some mistake" he said "this
gentleman is Mr.. Travers, of TOlhurst
Hail."
You could have knocked us all three
down with feather, l do believe.
Could it be possible Could we have
been such cOnsummate idiots as to
have mistaken sane man for a luna
tic and that man Lillian Traver's ia
Their! | could have shrunk into my
boots; could have run away and hid
myself in bed. To think that we
should have logged, and watched, and
insulted, and assaulted the man of all
others in whose good books we wished
to stand-Lilian Traver's father New
er did three men look such fools as we
did then. We were SO cOnfOundedly
in earnest about it; that was the worst
of all. l don't care what you say ; you
may think it frstrate joke but he
mast have been an eccentric sort OF
elderly gentleman. If he had behaved
sensibly, if he had made one sensible
remark, he would have blown our de-
lusiOns to the winds.
We rendered our apologies as best
we could to the man we had SO insult
ed but he treated us and them with
loftiest scorn; and we got one after
another into the boat amidst the jibes
and .jeers of an unsympathetic crowd.
And as we rowed from that wretched
place as fast as our oars would take us,
we each of us in our secret heart de-
clared we should never forget our ad
venture up the river with lunatic.
And we haven't. From that day to
this have never seen Lillian Travers,
nor do | wish to.